Installing a system inside a garage that get HOT ***pics**

[Happy Homes]

Hello, this garage gets about 120 to 140 inside during the summer. I use my heat gun to confirm the temperature. I will be installing a network rack in the garage that will be holding an 8 channel NVR, a PoE switch, Internet and more. The network rack will be installed on the stud near the top of the garage.

What is the best way to keep this system as cool as possible all summer long?

Thank you

 

[Teken]

In the vast majority of times network hardware is installed within a conditioned space. If not the hardware is spec’d to be hardened which indicates a very wide operating temperature range which uses very high quality components and well engineered cooling whether it be active vs passive.

Heat is the primary killer of electronics as prolonged heat causes internal capacitors to dry out.

The second highest failure mode is due to dirty power whether it be low voltage, high voltage, or surge events.

You’re going to pay now or later so it’s best to invest the time, money, and resources to have the hardware installed inside of the home!

If you have no choice and must install the hardware in the garage insure the following:

• Use hardened network equipment
• Evenly space the hardware in the rack
• The rack should be mounted as low as possible to the ground as heat rises.
• Insure multiple PWM 120 mm fans are exhausting based on real time temps.

Given the photo you have provided shows no insulation it makes perfect sense to invest time and money to do so! Roxul insulation whether it be comfort batt vs fire rated will provide a temperature differential of 10~40 degrees based on the R value installed.

The same insulation material provides many benefits such as noise control, fire suppression, pests & bugs do not like the metal slag, is very water resistant, and reduces the speed of heat soaking which translates to lower thermal stacking above nine feet.

Some form of remote temperature and humidity monitoring is paramount in such installations. Along with fire suppression which starts with the server rack / case and ends with a ABC rated ceiling suppressor.

Dedicated 120 VAC power needs to be present which is not supplied by a GFCI. If your location requires a AFCI install a AFCI outlet instead as they are cheaper and can be changed out if nuisance tripping is present.

Lastly, if your region is anywhere in the rust belt. Everything that you install will be living on borrowed time as no amount of protection will guard against salty air in a garage space!

Good luck . . .

 

[Happy Homes]

In the vast majority of times network hardware is installed within a conditioned space. If not the hardware is spec’d to be hardened which indicates a very wide operating temperature range which uses very high quality components and well engineered cooling whether it be active vs passive.

Heat is the primary killer of electronics as prolonged heat causes internal capacitors to dry out.

The second highest failure mode is due to dirty power whether it be low voltage, high voltage, or surge events.

You’re going to pay now or later so it’s best to invest the time, money, and resources to have the hardware installed inside of the home!

If you have no choice and must install the hardware in the garage insure the following:

• Use hardened network equipment
• Evenly space the hardware in the rack
• The rack should be mounted as low as possible to the ground as heat rises.
• Insure multiple PWM 120 mm fans are exhausting based on real time temps.

Given the photo you have provided shows no insulation it makes perfect sense to invest time and money to do so! Roxul insulation whether it be comfort batt vs fire rated will provide a temperature differential of 10~40 degrees based on the R value installed.

The same insulation material provides many benefits such as noise control, fire suppression, pests & bugs do not like the metal slag, is very water resistant, and reduces the speed of heat soaking which translates to lower thermal stacking above nine feet.

Some form of remote temperature and humidity monitoring is paramount in such installations. Along with fire suppression which starts with the server rack / case and ends with a ABC rated ceiling suppressor.

Dedicated 120 VAC power needs to be present which is not supplied by a GFCI. If your location requires a AFCI install a AFCI outlet instead as they are cheaper and can be changed out if nuisance tripping is present.

Lastly, if your region is anywhere in the rust belt. Everything that you install will be living on borrowed time as no amount of protection will guard against salty air in a garage space!

Good luck . . .

Thank you so much for that detailed response. Unfortunately yes garage is the only option. The nearest air conditioned unit is 1 mile away.

I will be using all your suggestions

 

[Happy Homes]

Next question, the POE switch and POE injector will be installed outside underneath the eve of the garage. There are going to be ubiquiti airmax transmitting the signals to other garage, There are 8 garages that will have cameras all detached.

Will the injectors be safe in a sealed enclosure underneath this wood out of direct sunlight?

 

[DG99]

I would look for a vented box, Looks like most poe switches are rated for Operating Temperature: (32℉~110℉) .

 

[mat200]

Hello, this garage gets about 120 to 140 inside during the summer. I use my heat gun to confirm the temperature. I will be installing a network rack in the garage that will be holding an 8 channel NVR, a PoE switch, Internet and more. The network rack will be installed on the stud near the top of the garage.

What is the best way to keep this system as cool as possible all summer long?

Thank you

Hi @Happy Homes

Looks like it is time to insulate and finish the garage... with a little thought you should be able to reduce the temps in there...

 

[DsineR]

For components, search for 'industrial' grade - Moxa has a good selection of cams, switches, APs, etc operating at temps up to 70°C.

 

[Teken]

Next question, the POE switch and POE injector will be installed outside underneath the eve of the garage. There are going to be ubiquiti airmax transmitting the signals to other garage, There are 8 garages that will have cameras all detached.

Will the injectors be safe in a sealed enclosure underneath this wood out of direct sunlight?

I understood that the POE Switch and related network hardware would be installed in the garage?!? Did You misspeak about the switch being installed under the eves??

The surface temperature of the roof under the eves will exceed 150’F. Also what is the reason for both the POE vs POE Injector?!?

Because one is running 24 VDC vs 48 VDC? The larger Ubiquiti POE Switches offer both 24 & 48 VDC. So you need only to run a single Ethernet cable and select the voltage you need to power the end devices.

If you can provide a link to all the hardware to be installed everyone can offer more accurate feedback.

 

[samplenhold]

It is not just heat that will be your issue. Humidity and DUST will also be a problem. Really suggest using an air conditioner. You could put in a small window unit by cutting the proper hole in the wall and placing the unit in the rack. Enclose the rack and AC unit, basically building a small "room" around them. That will keep the cool air inside and isolate the dust from the garage.

 

[The Automation Guy]

I agree that having some sort of HVAC system is the best solution. Outside of that, installing it as low to the ground will help with temps. Heat obviously rises, so something near the ceiling will be much hotter than something on the ground. Hopefully the garage has a concrete floor. That acts as a heat sink and will stay a more moderate temp usually. If water intrusion isn't an issue, I would even consider placing in direct contact with the concrete.

 

[iwanttosee]

All your IT stuff will randomly lock up in 140F weather.

 

[Happy Homes]

Ok I am taking all your considerations. Thank you guys. Sound like I may need a small Air Conditioner for the unit. I think air conditioning is best option.

Another question, there will be 2 ventilation fans for the network cabinet. Should I have both of them pointing out, or have one blowing in and one blowing out?

 

[mat200]

Ok I am taking all your considerations. Thank you guys. Sound like I may need a small Air Conditioner for the unit. I think air conditioning is best option.

Another question, there will be 2 ventilation fans for the network cabinet. Should I have both of them pointing out, or have one blowing in and one blowing out?

Insulted cabinet, with ventilation and AC ... fans on top to pull hot air out ( works if cabinet well sealed.. if leaky you will need fans blowing in equipment )

 

[biggen]

Ok I am taking all your considerations. Thank you guys. Sound like I may need a small Air Conditioner for the unit. I think air conditioning is best option.

Another question, there will be 2 ventilation fans for the network cabinet. Should I have both of them pointing out, or have one blowing in and one blowing out?

You just need flow. Generally in a proper computer rack, you have cold air entering the bottom/front and exiting out the rear/top. This follows how natural convection works (warm air rising).

 

[Teken]

Ok I am taking all your considerations. Thank you guys. Sound like I may need a small Air Conditioner for the unit. I think air conditioning is best option.

Another question, there will be 2 ventilation fans for the network cabinet. Should I have both of them pointing out, or have one blowing in and one blowing out?

I hope insulating that interior garage is also on the list?!? Otherwise you’ll be spending gobs of money that far exceed any network hardware in that rack over a period of time.

 

[SkyLake]

Intake fans will suck the ambient garage temp into the cabinet. Exhaust fans will exhaust the heat into the garage again. It will just circulate the high temps again and again.

You could suck the air from outside the garage thru a ventilation hose into the cabinet, and exhaust the air again thru another ventilation hose to the outside of the garage.

But you would need some type of airfilter on the intake side to prevent dust to get into the cabinet. You could also take the cold air of an hvac into the cabinet.

 

[weigle2]

FWIW. Don't make this so complicated, and expensive to get connectivity to a detached garage or building that has electric using the same circuit breaker panel as the rest of the house. Keep it simple, and use something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2DUJMQ5PQ42H0&dchild=1&keywords=ac+ethernet+powerline+adapter&qid=1623583391&sprefix=AC+Ethernet%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-4

With these and a cheap 4-port POE+ switch ($26 in my case), I have 2 cameras in and around my garage that work flawlessly. Yes, my garage gets to 120 to 130 degrees during the summer, and so far, I have had zero issues. If needed, you could add an inexpensive UPS to back up your AC power. I tested the powerline ethernet adapter plugged into a UPS outlet, and it still functions correctly. I would have thought it wouldn't because of the line filtering, but it does.

 

[Robert hocevar]

Hello, this garage gets about 120 to 140 inside during the summer. I use my heat gun to confirm the temperature. I will be installing a network rack in the garage that will be holding an 8 channel NVR, a PoE switch, Internet and more. The network rack will be installed on the stud near the top of the garage.

What is the best way to keep this system as cool as possible all summer long?

Thank you

A few years ago I installed a small system in a shed with no air conditioning. I put the nvr in a box that i built and installed a few fans. One blowing hot air out and the other drawing air in. I mounted the power supply on the outside of the enclosure as well as the router. I also found some large packs of Silica that I put inside to help keep things dry. I also gave the guy a box of them so he can switch them out every few months. This shed gets very hot and I wasnt sure how well this would work but so far there has not been any issues. I am pretty sure that a few years will be knocked off the life of the recorder but that was explained to the customer and he was ok with that. This installation was at his camp sight and needs to keep a eye on the place while he isn't there

 

[TLCTimFL]

Hello, this garage gets about 120 to 140 inside during the summer. I use my heat gun to confirm the temperature. I will be installing a network rack in the garage that will be holding an 8 channel NVR, a PoE switch, Internet and more. The network rack will be installed on the stud near the top of the garage.

What is the best way to keep this system as cool as possible all summer long?

Thank you

I live in Florida and totally understand your garage situation. This is going to sound like an off the wall solution but is your hot water heater in the garage? If so, replace the standard tank with with one that has a heat exchanger. This really works. It will cool your garage down dramatically. This water tank pulls the heat out of the air and exchanges it with cool air, all the while using this transfer to heat your water. Next, if you find humidity an issue, set a dehumidifier to 55 percent humidity (or there abouts) and drain it outside. I placed mine on an extra supported shelf near the ceiling draining it with a hose running to PVC and out through the wall into a hole filled with shell in the ground. One last thought, don't forget the UPS battery backup for your security equipment.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

even mil spec electronics have problems at 140F ambient.

maybe get a small fridge, like a truckfridge, set it for the highest temp it can go, like 60F if thats possible, and put the NVR and network switch and PoE and stuff all inside the fridge ? but any cameras in 140F ambient will have serious problems, too